Today’s manufacturers face many business challenges, including ongoing loadshedding, soaring raw material prices, complex process management, and a weak economy.
These manufacturers are turning to digital technologies to transform their operations, improve efficiencies, and drive higher business performance.
Technology solutions such as ERP are at the core of these digital transformation efforts, and modern Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) systems are another solution specifically designed to help small to medium-sized manufacturers achieve enhanced efficiency.
MOM systems provide a real-time view of all plant processes and do not replace an ERP system.
Instead, a MOM system is a distinct but connected entity, and is most effective when integrated with a manufacturer’s ERP system, as this provides the company with holistic, consolidated records of all business transactions.
We unpack the benefits of MOM systems, below.
Better visibility improves efficiency
To gain a competitive advantage, manufacturers must be agile enough to respond to market demands at all production levels without increasing costs or waste, or sacrificing efficiency.
However, streamlining manufacturing processes requires efficient production planning, scheduling, inventory management, quality assurance and planned or predictive maintenance.
Effective MOM systems have become a critical factor in achieving this. Modern MOM systems are specifically designed to help small to medium manufacturers enhance their efficiency by providing a real-time view of all the processes in the factory.
Without this information, manufacturers risk production being delayed or halted for reasons ranging from inadequate inventory to quality issues. Unnecessary wastage also becomes a major concern.
However, with the real-time view a MOM system provides, manufacturers are agile enough to ensure they have products ready for customers on time and in the most cost-effective way.
Streamlining processes
By improving the visibility of the factory floor through employee and machine tracking, manufacturers can also introduce more accurate planning into their operations, reducing lead times and removing inefficiencies in their setups.
This ultimately leads to the faster delivery of finished goods while also controlling labour and machine costs, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks and downtime, and eliminating waste.
MOM systems drive this by radically improving production schedules, assisting with planned downtime for scheduled maintenance, and providing a real-time view of job statuses in the production cycle.
They also offer effective monitoring, which ensures adherence to manufacturers’ relevant regulations.
Advanced technologies optimize MOM systems
Another valuable feature of a MOM system is its ease of integration with equipment, controllers, and ERP systems.
It monitors the entire manufacturing process from raw materials to finished goods, connecting everything from machines to equipment, people and devices without requiring manual inputs.
MOM systems also support the integration of advanced technologies, including IoT, AI, and data analytics.
These are highly important tools for tracking factory floor metrics such as labour and equipment usage and performance.
Through this fully automated data collection, MOM helps drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement programmes.
Embrace MOM systems
With gains in productivity, as well as resource, energy and human capital use, manufacturers can realise increased profitability with a MOM system.
Given the wafer-thin margins many manufacturers operate at, an increase in profitability driven by a MOM system could be the difference between success and failure, and gains in agility and flexibility could be the difference between surviving and thriving.
